Oversight sees rude word emblazoned on van

It's probably not the image Pendennis Shipyard had in mind when it had its company logo printed on the side of two vans - the word 'Penis' spelled out in large letters.

The Falmouth-based firm recently had the company name painted on the side of its two Ford Transit Connect vehicles. But what the company failed to realise was that four letters were obscured when the side doors were slid open - leaving the offending word.

Local man William Tregidgo spotted one of the vans parked up and with its door open, and took a photo which a friend, Ben Wardle, then posted on Twitter. It since spread to Facebook and has now been reposted thousands of times: "I thought it was a real laugh but I didn't think it would become such a hit," Tregidgo told the Mirror.

Other social media users have described the sign as "possibly the best van door work I've ever seen" and "more eye catching than expected".

It's remarkable just how often companies fail to look at the result properly when they commission new signs. Earlier this year, indeed, there was a similar case just down the road in Truro, when a pub wanted to make sure customers still turned up for a pint while the street was closed for water works. "THE WIG AND PENIS OPEN FOR BUSINESS," read the sign.

That sign, too, became an internet sensation after being tweeted by Ricky Gervais with the comment: "spacing is very important".

And last month, lodgings website AirBNB was widely ridiculed for its new logo, which many people claimed looked like a drawing of genitalia. One user suggested it was more appropriate for a sex toy manufacturer than a rooms letting agency.

Grammatical errors
Missing - or unnecessary apostrophes are a common mistake: in January, a sign in a York branch of Nisa was widely shared on Twitter: "Thank's for shopping with us," it read.

But Apprentice finalist Luisa Zissman fell foul of the grammar police after deliberately deciding to junk the apostrophe from her company name and call it Bakers Toolkit. Some councils, too now omit apostrophe's in street signs such as St Paul's Square.

Read more on AOL Money:
New Airbnb logo looks a bit rude

Apprentice finalist in apostrophe gaffe?